News
Central Builders hosted a chili-making contest with proceeds to YANA. We are grateful for your continued support of local families and your creative fundraising!
The Comox Valley Pool League does it again! Thank you for your annual contribution to YANA!
Our sincere gratitude to the Comox Valley RCMP who hosted a BBQ in support of a YANA family who is close to their hearts.
Thank you to Sadie and Atticus McPherson who sold homemade chocolates with proceeds to YANA. What a delicious way to help!
Circle of Giving – Inspired by Love
Posted on
Local mom, Samantha Ferguson, understands well the intensity of diagnosis and treatment of childhood leukemia. In 2016, at the age of seven, her son Kai was diagnosed. Two and a half years later in the fifth stage of treatment, Kai still takes oral chemotherapy daily, special antibiotics on weekends, monthly visits out-of-town for intravenous chemotherapy and quarterly trips to BC Children’s Hospital for painful chemotherapy injections.
Kai’s medical journey has been a long one and is not over. YANA has been with his family from the beginning.
“From the moment we left by helicopter from Comox to Children’s and I was handed a YANA envelope,” explains Ferguson, “We barely understood what was happening and just how much support we would need from our community.”
Lifetime Union Bay resident Joanne Tarnowski knew she was very ill when she came into the YANA office in 2016, around the time of Kai’s diagnosis, to discuss ways she could contribute. While Joanne wasn’t aware of Kai’s family sharing such a similar path to her own, she knew the challenges of being away from home with a sick child and wanted to do something significant for her community.
“My husband and I lived in Union Bay all our lives,” explained Joanne. “We married in 1958, in 1965 we bought an oyster business and started working it together.” Joanne described those early years as a lot of hard work but nothing compared to the challenge that came when her daughter got sick at two years of age.
“When Janet got sick everything happened so quickly. We went from hospital emergency here, to Children’s Hospital in Vancouver.”
Janet’s illness would culminate in a long hospital stay and an operation.
“At that time we didn’t have much money or help,” states Joanne. “There was no YANA then. It was a scary time and a lonely time.”
Janet recovered and eventually thrived and started her own family. In 1995, Janet and her husband, Bruce, welcomed their son, Dallas. When Dallas was six he was diagnosed with leukemia.
“We were floored,” Janet remembers. “The helplessness, the anxiety, it’s like time stopped. In that moment I understood what my own mother had gone through.”
Janet and Bruce began the heart wrenching journey of caring for their child through his intense treatment, experiencing much of the same stress that Kai’s parents face.
“In the beginning we made a promise; we would tell Dallas every day how much he was loved; he would never be left alone,” says Janet. They juggled work, care of their youngest son, and took shifts at the hospital. “We kept our promise,” says Janet.
In 2004, Dallas finished treatment and is now a healthy young man who understands the importance of giving.
“Looking back, I don’t remember the fear or the sadness. I remember my family, being together, feeling loved and secure,” says Dallas. “We were lucky to have that, our family wants that for others.”
Donor Joanne Tarnowski born October 14, 1939 passed away March 2, 2018. Joanne and her family created an annual legacy gift to YANA with the commitment of keeping Comox Valley families, like Kai’s, together during medical treatment away from home.
Reflecting on her past, Joanne said, “You are not alone. Those words mean a lot to me. I love YANA. I always have.”
To find out more about supporting YANA through monthly, annual, or legacy gifts visit https://www.yanacomoxvalley.com/donate/
Circle of Giving – Inspired Volunteering
Posted on
Experiencing premature labour at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Susanne Bazett, remembers the first tears she cried. “It was when they handed me an envelope from YANA. It became so real, our baby was coming early and we would need to transfer to Nanaimo. It was overwhelming.”
YANA envelopes containing emergency cash and an invitation for further support are given to local families with a child or an expecting mother who requires emergency transfer from the Comox Valley hospital. “It is one of the ways we connect with families who need to travel for medical care.” Says YANA Executive Director, Marcie Dumais.
“That was just the start of many tears,” recalls Susanne who delivered baby Eliza just an hour after arriving in Nanaimo. Complications with the premature birth resulted in yet another transfer, this time to Victoria. The next few weeks were filled with specialists, tests, and a third hospital transfer with YANA providing accommodation wherever Eliza’s family needed to be.
Through the stress and uncertainty Susanne says one thing still stands out, “Our faith in humanity was realized. The generosity, the kindness, the compassion of strangers when we needed it most. YANA connected with us immediately and whatever happened next, they were there to help.”
Several years prior, Paula Bazett, Eliza’s aunt, became a volunteer for YANA. She helps regularly at fundraising events.
“I had been aware of YANA for many years,” says Paula. “In fact they had helped with a similar situation in my family in the past. And then again with Baby E. I was inspired by this amazing support that was offered so unconditionally.”
Dumais has this to say about volunteers, “However they come to be inspired to help YANA, our volunteers become an inspiration to us. We can’t tell you how heart-warming it is when we look around at an event and see so many people giving their time and effort to make sure YANA can sustain its support to families.”
Paula adds, “So many people I admire are involved in giving to YANA in some way. It’s great to be surrounded with like-minded people and I hope to find more ways to be involved in the future.”
“There is never an obligation for relatives or clients themselves to contribute but it consistently happens, people are compelled to participate in the circle of giving and we are grateful to be the stewards of this beautiful generosity. It is really needed particularly as our services grow,” finishes Dumais.
Baby E, as she is affectionately known, is happy and healthy and thriving at home in Courtenay. To find out more about volunteering with YANA, visit https://www.yanacomoxvalley.com/volunteer/
It was a very “hoppy” event at Marina Park! Sincere thanks to Investors Group, the Town of Comox, Quality Foods and everyone involved in the Easter Eggstravaganza!
Thank you to Doug Kines who organizes the Hilly Billy Masters Golf Tournament and to all the golfers who contribute to the fundraising.
Our gratitude to Sunwest RV Centre for hosting a barbeque for customers and including YANA in the fun. Thanks to the YANA volunteers who helped out and everyone involved!
Circle of Giving – Inspired Community Engagement
Posted on
June 9, 2017
Natasha Ardron, experiencing premature labour, is air lifted from Comox and transferred to BC Children’s Hospital. YANA connects with the family and an apartment and support is put in place.
June 14, 2017
Natasha and Paul Ardron deliver twins, Maverick and Matthias, micro-preemies at 24 weeks, each weighing under 2 lbs.
June 18, 2017, 4 days old.
Natasha and Paul announce the birth of their boys on Facebook. Remembering those first days, Natasha says, “People immediately began to reach out to us with offers of help.” After some discussion the couple made a decision to ask that help be directed toward YANA. “Luckily we live in a community that has something in place for families, through YANA we had what we needed.”
June 20, 2017, 6 days old.
Natasha posts on Facebook asking friends and family to support YANA Comox Valley. She suggests they attend an upcoming fundraiser hosted by Salish Seafoods and donate in the twins’ name. “Through everything they were experiencing it was deeply touching to have them advocate on our behalf,” says YANA Executive Director, Marcie Dumais.
June 27, 2017, 15 days old.
Matthias Rikley Ardron, no longer able to fight against the odds, passes shortly before 9pm.
August 20, 2017, 67 days old.
Team M&M (Team Matthias and Maverick), Grandma Verna, Grandpa Gary, and friends ride in the Simon’s Cycles YANA Ride at Marina Park in Comox, raising $3,025 for Comox Valley families travelling for the medical care of a child or a pregnant mother. Team M&M inspires other cyclists and even more fundraising with the event raising $61,000. Grandma Ellie volunteers for the day. Paul visits the park in support. Dumais notes, “Being at Marina Park that day with Team M&M and other YANA families who were riding and volunteering really illustrates the circle of giving that exists around YANA.”
September 26, 2017, 104 days old.
Maverick breathes for one hour without his CPAP mask that helps inflate his lungs and deliver oxygen.
December 25, 2017, 194 days old.
Paul and Natasha celebrate Maverick’s first Christmas with nurses and staff at BC Children’s and the YANA apartments are a holiday refuge.
January 15, 2018, 215 days old.
Maverick says good-bye to his BC Children’s family and is on his way home.
February 23, 2018, 254 days old.
Paul and Natasha Ardron and family attend the YANA Big Love Benefit along with colleagues from Investors Group who help YANA by sponsoring the event. A photographic presentation of Maverick’s story is presented during the evening (https://www.yanacomoxvalley.com/stories/maverick/). $122,000 is raised for YANA.
Natasha reflects on the role of YANA in the community, “Everyone’s support of YANA came back full force to us, as well as to other Comox Valley families.”
Settling in to their ‘new normal’ at home in the Comox Valley, the Ardron family still faces some challenges, including Maverick’s chronic lung condition. They also consistently celebrate many firsts including their son’s first trail walk, first swim, first spaghetti, and the first day of spring.
To find out more about YANA events and how to get involved, visit https://www.yanacomoxvalley.com/events/